The building that time forgot

Pick a direction
London, ON
April 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

It’s a grey, windy, miserable afternoon as I turn toward the office on my way back from a lunchtime walk. I’ve been forcing myself to get out for a bit, because otherwise I’d sit at my desk, glued to the screen in the mistaken belief that forcing yourself to sit in one spot for hours on end will make you creative and productive.

Not so much apparently. The occasional walk-around is good for the soul. Who knew?

Still, it’s nasty outside. And on this day, Londoners are nasty, too. Heavy construction on virtually every major downtown artery seems to have affected their mood. No one smiles. They cut you off in their rush to Get There Now. Their eyes stay glued to the ground (probably not a bad idea given the fact that much of it is dug up.)

As I round a corner, I break from the herd and look up. It’s just an old concrete-block government office building, with architecture that seemed to have been phoned in by the lowest bidder. I don’t think anyone ever takes the time to take it in, let alone on a day when the light has turned the skyline, and everything beneath it, to mud.

But I still stare up because, well, maybe despite its humble, indifferent origins it nevertheless deserves for someone to take the time. Geometric shapes have merit, too, don’t they?

I shoot quickly before tucking the phone away and walking the final few blocks back to the office. As I suspected, I return to my desk refreshed by my time exploring the grey murk, and the afternoon is indeed a productive one. I say a silent thanks to the anonymous folks who designed this seemingly uninspired building. Perhaps they were more inspired than we originally thought.

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